FARMERS still reeling from the foot and mouth crisis face further job losses and higher costs if the Government's new Animal Health Bill becomes law, it has been claimed.

Leominster MP Bill Wiggin, whose constituency includes Rock, attacked the legislation as "premature and ill-considered" and said it would put more power into the hands of ministers and officials who allowed the outbreak to develop into a crisis.

He said the proposals would force farmers to buy medicines such as vaccines and sheep dip from vets or pharmacies and then only be prescription.

This was impractical and would impose higher costs leading to the loss of 3,500 jobs, he added.

He said: "This bill's sweeping new powers can only be justified by the findings of an independent new inquiry which the Government has refused to hold.

"The bill implies farmers were to blame for foot and mouth when evidence suggests ministers and officials bungled their handling of the crisis.

And he claimed the bill failed to tighten up controls on imported meat which meant Britain could import foot and mouth disease again "tomorrow."

Mr Wiggin branded the new powers afforded animal health inspectors as "draconian and he said the legislation would effectively deny farmers any chance to show ministers and officials were acting unreasonably.

This meant farmers charged with deliberate infection could face not only six months in prison but also the confiscation of their pets and a ban on owning animals.

Farmers seeking to appeal would in future have to pay a fee, placing a further financial burden on them, he added.